The infamous Dukes cricket ball from the Ashes Final Test could have been as old as five years old as the manufacturer prepares to investigate the ball-swapping scandal that cost Australia victory.
- Speculation England received a ball from the Dukes of the 2018 series
- Saga unfolded late on day four in the fifth Ashes Test at The Oval
- The ‘new’ ball changed the course of the match, England won
- Dilip Jajodia, owner of the Dukes balls, wants answers from ICC
- Exciting Ashes 2023 series ended 2-2, Aussies retained ballot box
An inquiry is likely to take place amid growing speculation that the Dukes cricket ball used by England in the fifth Ashes test at The Oval may have been up to five years old.
Setting a target of 384 for the win, Australia were sailing to 0-135 at the end of day four, but the contest was turned upside down when the umpires changed the ball after Mark Wood hit Australian batsman Usman Khawaja off the back of the helmet. .
The Dukes’ replacement ball delivered to Ben Stokes’ speed attack began to wobble noticeably, and the wickets for the tourists quickly followed.
Opening batsman Khawaja was baffled, convinced that the ‘new’ ball was doing more than it should.
“I walked straight up to Kumar (referee Kumar Dharmasena) and said: ‘That ball doesn’t look like the one we were playing at all… I can see something written on it,'” Khawaja said after the game England won to level the game. grip”. series in 2-2.
An inquiry is likely to take place amid speculation that the Dukes cricket ball used by England in the fifth Ashes Test may have been up to five years old (pictured Australian batman Usman Khawaja after of his dismissal from the fifth day in the final Test of Ashes)
After Khawaja took a hit to the back of his helmet and the ball went out of shape, the umpires (right) handed England a ‘new’ ball which they used in the fifth Ashes Test.
“It felt harder than any ball I’ve faced in this Ashes series, and I’ve opened up batting against the new ball every time.”
Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting has called on the International Cricket Council (ICC) to investigate immediately, and now it can be revealed that the owner of Dukes’ balls, Dilip Jajodia, also wants answers.
He said it was “unlikely but not impossible” that a Dukes ball from the 2018 or 2019 Ashes series would somehow end up in the referees’ box in London.
“I can’t imagine they would risk putting a ball in there with a different date,” Jajodia said. news corporation
“Frankly, the referee of the match should be aware.
‘We hit that number pretty hard, so even if the gold comes off, the ball is imprinted. It would not be easy to get rid of him. I’m not saying it’s impossible (it was a dance from 2018 or 2019), but it’s not likely.
‘I’m going to investigate myself, because it affects me… my name is on the line.’
Australia retained the urn but were in a position to win the fifth test before the ball was changed on day four (skipper Pat Cummins pictured)
Australian cricket great Ricky Ponting (pictured left) has called on the International Cricket Council to investigate the ball-swapping scandal.
Ponting was incredulous at his chosen ball, which appeared to be barely used compared to a “worn” one that was 37 years old.
“There is no way in the world that you can look at those two balls and say in any way that they are comparable,” an irate Ponting said in a commentary on Sky Sports.
“At the end of the day, if you’re going to change the ball, you want to make sure you do it right, so it’s as close as possible to the one you’re changing.
‘There weren’t too many old balls in there, there were some older ones that were picked up, thrown back.
“I can’t understand how two international referees who have done this so many times before have gotten it so wrong… I think (that) has to be investigated.”
